Television

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Oregon governor fights execution of man who wants to die

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber is appealing a judge's ruling that he has no authority to issue a reprieve from the death penalty for a condemned inmate who does not want clemency and insists on being executed.

The Governor issued a blanket reprieve to killers. However, Gary Haugen a convicted killer is, what has become known as, a execution volunteer. He has waived his appeal rights and wants to be executed.

A Kitzhaber spokesman says the governor will file a notice of appeal and ask the Oregon Court of Appeals to pass it up to the state Supreme Court. The governor will fight to keep alive a man condemned to death who wants to die.

A trial-court judge in Marion County ruled last month that Haugen must accept a reprieve for it to be valid. Haugen had been scheduled to die by lethal injection last December when Kitzhaber stepped in and blocked it.

Kitzhaber opposes capital punishment and said he won't allow any executions while he is governor

About Matt

An analysis of crime and punishment from the perspective of a former prosecutor and current criminal justice practitioner.
The views expressed on this blog are solely those of the author and do not reflect the opinions or postions of any county, state or federal agency.